Lots of awesomeness coming up for the months of May and June!!!  Here are just a couple to wet your literary whistle!   These are three shows I’m part of and two publications my poems will be in.  I will be announcing features soon!

SHOWS!

May 1

The WordSpell Collective, in conjunction with Cytopoetics, presents the May edition of WordSpell showcase and open mic. The series brings together talented established and emerging female spoken word artists.

We are back with our bi-monthly showcase that features some of the hottest female voices in spoken word.

We select our features from within Toronto because this city has deep pockets of talent! Come hang out with your poetry fam at the fourth show of the season featuring the wonderfully talented voices of Sheniz Janmohamed and beluga!

About the poets:

SHENIZ JANMOHAMED has performed at over a hundred events, including the TedXYouth Conference in Toronto (2010) and the Indian Summer Festival in Vancouver (2012). Her book, Bleeding Light (TSAR, 2010), a collection of ghazals in English, has been taught in courses at several Canadian universities, including York University and the University of Toronto. She has more than eight years’ experience in the art of spoken word and teaches it in schools across Toronto. Her initiative, Ignite Poets, has traveled as far as Kenya to develop the international spoken word scene and to give a voice to new young talent. In January 2013, she traveled to India to read at the prestigious Jaipur Literature Festival.
http://shenizjanmohamed.com/

BELUGA is a queer, gender non-conforming person of color, who celebrates their roots in Africa and the Cherokee Nation as the journey continues in learning the complexities of those inter-sectionalities. Melisse has been writing for 9 years, and began performing spoken word 3 years ago at the Buddies and Bad Times Queer Cab Open mic. As a multidisciplinary artist he continues her passion for writing and storytelling by introducing the art of movement through dance and the visual of illustration and art installation. Melisse is a strong advocate for restorative and transformative justice and is working to ever grow mindful and further develop their art as a tool to connect art making with sustaining the health of community relationships, increase understanding and re-connect the fallen-through.

There will also be an OPEN MIC, open to women, after the feature sets.

Doors open at 7:30pm | Open Mic sign up at 8| Show at 8:30
Tickets at door: $6 and up
All Ages

Find out more about the series at:
Group page: www.facebook.com/groups/WordSpellTO
Website: http://cytopoeticsevents.com/wordspell
Follow on Twitter @WordSpellTO
Email: WordSpellTO@gmail.com

** Everyone is encouraged to patronize Free Times before, during and after the show! www.freetimescafe.com **

May 9

The May edition will be hosted by the incredibly sassy Philip Cairns!

Philip Cairns is a Toronto-based actor/writer/visual artist. He began going to auditions at age 11. Philip started acting classes in Toronto with Jack Medhurst at age 13 then began acting in children’s theatre. After studying Theatre Arts in high school and doing school shows, Philip became a professional actor at age 21. He’s been doing small theatre (in Toronto, Peterborough and Hamilton), independent films, TV commercials and TV shows, ever since.

Philip writes poetry, performance-pieces, plays and short stories. His work has been published in Excalibur Monthly, Xtra! and The Body Politic. In Toronto, Philip has performed his own writing at “Plasticine Poetry” at The Central, “Oral Stage” at Paddy’s Playhouse, A Space, the Gladstone Hotel & the Theatre Centre. He was MC for “Sexy Words” at Lula Lounge and “Bent Expressions” at Press Club. He recently performed in “Hard and Able #2” at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, on the TV series “William Shatner’s Weird or What” and in “The Judy Monologues” (winning the Best Actor award at the London One-Act Festival) in an Ontario tour. Philip has exhibited his acrylic paintings, watercolours and coloured pencil drawings in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Toronto and Edmonton, most recently at The Secret Handshake Art Gallery in Toronto.

Our features are!

Edward Nixon has been in and about Toronto for far too long. So long that has a pack of matches from the place the Rivoli used to be. He curates and hosts livewords, a Toronto reading series. He’s published four chapbooks in the past 8 years. His first full length collection will be forthcoming from Guernica Editions in 2014.

Peter Lynch is a writer/performer/actor who has worked extensively with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, DNA Theatre, Platform Nine and other companies. He has performed his solo/ensemble plays at Rhubarb! and QueerCulture Festivals, the Theatre Centre and Paddy’s Playhouse. Most notable plays are The Magic Key to Colourful Conversation, Night Terrors of the Longshoreman and Ten Thousand Hells. His video The Narcoleptic Sex-Slave is available on YouTube.

and music by

Ori Dagan is the recent winner of the CBC Radio competition “Canada’s Next Top Crooner” and his budding jazz career continues to build exciting momentum. Dagan spent nearly a decade studying jazz formally before launching his debut album ‘S’Cat Got My Tongue’ which garnered critical acclaim. He’s played at music & jazz festivals across Ontario and his latest album, ‘Less Than Three’ includes sexy originals and re-imagined familiar pop songs and jazz standards. Peter Goddard of The Toronto Star says Dagan’s new album is “serving notice that a major talent is on the scene.”

Sign up for open Mic is at 7:00 pm. Spots are limited, sign up early.

https://www.facebook.com/events/476909905726292/?fref=ts

May 12

Lizzie Violet’s Cabaret Noir is a monthly event that brings you an evening of indie artistry and cabaret. The mistress of ceremonies, Lizzie Violet will introduce cabaret stylings such as poetry, Spoken Word, music, Burlesque, comedy and a variety of other vaudeville style acts. Inspired by Vaudeville of the early 1900’s, it will be an evening of pure entertainment.

Each monthly event will have three features that consist of one part poetry (spoken word and slam as well), one part music and one part vaudeville (burlesque/magic/comedy). A night of frivolity and entertainment for all. Lizzie Violet’s Cabaret Noir will be the second Sunday of every month at the intimate Q Space on College (382 College Street) from 7 pm to 10 pm. Keeping with the theme of cabaret’s roots, music will be unplugged, poetry will be edgy and the vaudeville will be sassy!

We will have limited open mic spots (for poets, performers and musicians). Sign up starts at 7.

This is a PWYC event. (suggested price $5)

Location: Q Space on College (382 College Street)

This months cabaret performers!

L’Rock’s music is a pedal to the metal, roll down your windows; don’t get a speeding ticket musical ride!

Singer song-writer Laura L’Rock’s CD “Law of Attraction” has been drawing just that! Her music is raw, honest, & real with her ability to marry a hard rocking sound that rises like a phoenix from the embers of the likes of Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, The Cure….Her low slung vocals resonate as if she has a right ear on Joan Osborne and the left on Nancy Wilson of Heart, and sings in a voice that evokes Lita Ford. This native Newfoundlander, who now lives in Ontario, is destined to move the next generation of rockers to a new level.
Laura will remind you what is meant by the term “front person.” Her innate Newfy hospitality and genuine love for what she does translate well to the stage. She recently opened for Canada’s sensation, artist Andrew Cole and has been nominated again this year, for the HMMA’s (Hollywood Music Media Awards, Los Angeles). Her music can be heard coast to coast in Canada, as well as on internet stations in both the United States & the UK.

Kirsten Sandwich (bio to come)

Cathy Petch is a playwright, spoken word artist, performer, musician and lighting designer. She hosts the Plasticine Poetry Series. Petch’s work can be found online and in print. Her book “Late Night Knife Fights” by Lyricalmyrical press. She is a member of both the 2011 and 2012 Toronto Poetry Slam Teams and finished 5th in Canada at this year’s individual poetry slam competition. The next day she won the Haiku Deathmatch. Petch is happiest onstage.

For more information, email lizzieviolet13@gmail.com

https://lizzieviolet.wordpress.com/lizzie-violets-noir-cabaret/
Invite – https://www.facebook.com/events/584334861584354/?fref=ts

Poems published!

May 16th launch of Big Art Book Launch Party

May 16, 2013
6 pm to 10 pm
AccessPoint, 3079 Danforth Ave, Toronto
Come celebrate the launch of the 2013 Big Art Book. Over 130 artists featured in this online digital anthology of written and visual art.
https://www.facebook.com/events/426604867433886/?fref=ts

NorthWord June edition (literary magazine)

More details to come!

https://www.facebook.com/NorthWord